No, not the God awful film or the amusing BBC Olympics based comedy series. Just the year, or, more specifically, my year. And it’s been a bit of a year. During this year I have moved cities, completed an MA, graduated, rediscovered the joys of being dole scum, finally settled on a career, celebrated my two year anniversary (I know! A proper adult relationship! How exciting!), bought a hamster, discovered a snazzy new way of doing my eyeliner and started (then re-started) blogging. I also get hangovers now. That is really, really not cool.
But, as always, these events were accompanied by a soundtrack. So, friends, I give you the Tunes of 2012.
Lana Del Ray-Born To Die
I gave the rest of her stuff a chance, I really did, but I found it rather dull. Sorry Lana. Still, this song is stunning. I first heard it, in true angsty dramatic style, in a sandwich shop the day I got told they wouldn’t be putting me forward for funding for the PhD I’d been building my life around taking. I then looked it up, decided I liked it, downloaded it and listened to it constantly for the next month. Perhaps Ms Del Ray was just playing on my vulnerable state but any song that gets an emotional reaction is good on some level. But it does have some truly terrible lyrics (keep making me laugh/let’s go get high). So, I will defend Born to Die to the hills. Or at least the sign saying five miles to the hills. I think it’s a good song, and I’m not the only one, but I’m also aware there this may be a time-and-a-placer.
Florence and the Machine-Shake It Out
In all honesty I did first acquire this album in 2011, but it still counts because it was a bit of a presence from about the beginning of December until the end of March. I’m not going to whack the whole album on here because that really is cheating, although there could be arguments made for about eight of its twelve tracks going on this list. But this one wins by a nose. It was a bit of a companion when things weren’t really hunky dory but, unlike Born to Die, this song is actually pretty inspiring. It seemed to be speaking directly to me in the wanky way music does when you’re feeling a little tearful. And Flo is ace. I was a bit resistant to her when she first came out for reasons too complex and insecure to go into here, but now I unashamedly love her. Yes, I <3 Flo. And the world should know that.
White Lies-Death
2011 belonged to White Lies. More specifically the song Bigger Than Us. That song is still the most played on my iPod. They beat the Cure. The Cure! Unheard of. So, as 2012 wheeled round I decided to check out their first album. It’s good. It’s better than good. It’s magnificent. It’s also more self-involved and whiny than their second so I really fucking love it. White Lies need to be on this list and I picked this song to represent them because of this line; That’s why everything’s gotta be love or death. If there was a phrase that represented everything I think music should be, it’s that.
Fredrik-Chrome Cavities
Yeah, before anyone mentions it, I did hear this song on the Kopparberg advert but that doesn’t change how mind-bendingly brilliant this, or the how the rest of the album it came from, is. The whole thing is like being plunged into a swirling pool of weird sounds and haunting vocals. It also does that fantastic thing of working as a whole album while having a handful of damn good tracks on it. And it’s so eerie. More music should be eerie. Never let it be said that alcohol didn’t enrich my life.
Jesca Hoop-Born To
I defy anyone to listen to this song and it not raise both your heart rate and the little hairs on the back of your neck. Currently there is a rather disappointing trend where indie female singers need to be all twee and childlike. Jesca bucks this trend gloriously. There’s a subtle strength there that doesn’t result in overt aggression, although you still get the feeling she’d be scrappy in a bar fight. And she doesn’t feel the need to name drop hipster bullshit or tell us how much she likes comics or write songs about fucking cupcakes. So she’s a complete hero of mine. I’m also going to mention another song from the same album, Hospital (Win Your Love), which is about someone injuring themselves so they can get their love interests attention. Who knew passive aggression could be so brilliant?
The Temper Trap-Sweet Disposition
This song is older than 2012, but I didn’t hear it until this year. I can’t really defend it. It’s good, but not ground breaking, I just really, really liked it and listened to it about seventy four times in three days. It might have something to do with the film 500 Days of Summer but I cannot confirm or deny this.
Public Service Broadcasting-London Can Take It
A complex little project combining a truly great bass part with visuals and audio recorded during the Blitz in London. American journalist Quentin Reynolds released a film in 1941 called ‘London Can Take It’ (do you see what they did there?) and all the samples and footage used in this track are taken from it. Reynolds’ original film is on YouTube. It is worth a watch, and not just if you’re a twentieth century history geek like me.
Bat for Lashes-Laura
If, on hearing this song, it doesn’t make you cry you have a heart of stone. The most original but also one of the most simple songs I’ve heard for ages.
The National-Slow Show
The National are one of those bands who I was made aware of quite late so I started with their most recent album and worked my way back. The album this track is from (‘Boxer’) is now firmly my favourite. There’s a gorgeous cinematic quality to it that is best experienced walking along Newcastle Quayside at sunrise with the haunting coda kicking in.
Blaqk Audio-Cold War
This song is genius. Not because it’s a brilliant piece of musicianship (it’s not even the best song Blaqk Audio have done, and certainly not the best of Davey Havok’s lyrics) but because it’s basically someone having a hissy fit. I’m not going to give too much away to encourage you to go listen to it yourself. It has to be heard to be believed. And it’s only 2 ½ minutes long (although I don’t think I could have stood much longer to be honest).
Of Monsters and Men-King and Lionheart
There’s not a weak track on this album (‘My Head is an Animal’) and they’re all great pieces of storytelling. Each one is like a little saga. To be honest it was between this and Dirty Paws but I plumped for this one because it manages to say that you’ll be there for and protect someone without sounding either like an overbearing control freak or getting too soppy.
30 Seconds to Mars-Closer to the Edge
Shut up. This song is amazing to dance to when you’re pissed. I don’t care what you think. Don’t judge me. Shut up.
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